A 77-year-old man killed in the attack at a Grand Blanc Township church has been identified as John Bond, a Navy veteran remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
Bond was one of four congregants killed when a gunman crashed his pickup truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on McCandlish Road and opened fire on Sunday, Sept. 28, investigators said. Authorities believe the suspect also set the building on fire before he was shot and killed by police minutes later. The gunman was identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton.
Bond served nine years in the U.S. Navy and remained active in his community, according to a GoFundMe created by his family. The fundraiser described him as “a lover of golf and trains,” who cherished time with his grandchildren.
“He was a well-known and loved member of his family and active in his community,” the family wrote. “(He) always loved spending time with his family and grandkids.”
The Detroit Free Press confirmed with GoFundMe that the fundraiser is legitimate. Donations will go toward memorial costs and provide support for the victim’s wife, Joanne Bond.
The Free Press is still working on verifying other fundraisers related to the attack.
The attack left five people dead, including Sanford, and eight others injured. Smoke inhalation and gunshot wounds were among the injuries treated at Henry Ford Hospital Genesys in Grand Blanc. The injured victims’ ages ranged from 6 to 78, according to officials.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye warned on Facebook about potentially fraudulent GoFundMe accounts that often appear after tragedies and directed donors to the Victim Compassion Fund created by ELGA Credit Union.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday, Sept. 29, ordered flags lowered to half-staff statewide to honor the victims.
“This might be a familiar pain, but it hurts all the same, every time,” Whitmer said during a press conference held the day after the attack. “We cannot keep living our lives like this. I know that this community is reeling right now, I want you to know the state of Michigan has your back. Your grief is our grief.”
Investigators continued searching for a motive as federal agents examined explosive devices found in the church and whether the fire was intentionally set with an accelerant.
Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 77-year-old Navy veteran, grandfather killed in Grand Blanc church attack
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